ISSUE 8 IN THIS ISSUE 14 NATIVE ADVANTAGE: New enablers bridge the culture, language gap for squadrons.

16 LEARNING THE LINGO: A new program teaches foreign languages to operators.

17 GROWING THE FORCE: Recruiters and the Center take action to bring the best candidates to BUD/S. 20 Focusing on Families: Learn how the FOCUS program supports operators and families. 22 Third Location Decompression: A pit stop after deployment helps warriors reintegrate into post-combat life. 24 THE TACTICAL ATHLETE: Operators benefit from the same 2 FOR A JUST CAUSE: medical support as pro athletes. SEAL Team 4 remembers Operation 26 SCIENCE ENTERS THE Just Cause. FIGHT: 3 WHERE THERE’S A Defense scientists use cutting RHIB, THERE’S A WAY: edge technology to help NSW. NSW trains with Filipino counterparts. 4 STEALTH ON THE NEW ON YOUR MIND FRONTIER: Unit 10 ramps up in support of SOCAFRICA. 28 TRUST ME: 6 A LONG-TERM HUMAN An essay about an essential INVESTMENT: virtue from a retired SEAL. New Anchor Units signify renewed commitment to foreign partnerships and regional expertise. 29 Book Review: 10 DANGER OR DELUSION? A SEAL reviews Koran, Kalashnikov and Laptop: The Neo-Taliban A SEAL describes the Al Qaeda affiliate Insurgency in Afghanistan. group in Northern Africa.

COMMANDER > Rear Adm. Edward Winters PRODUCTION MANAGER > MC1 (SW/AW) Andre Mitchell FORCE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER > Cmdr. Gregory Geisen ASSOCIATE EDITOR > Ms. Mandy McCammon DEP. PAO/EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS > Lt. Cate Wallace STAFF > MC2 (SW/AW) Arcenio Gonzalez, MC2 (SW) Shauntae Hinkle- DEP. PAO/INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS > Ms. Patricia O’Connor Lymas, MC2 (SW/AW) Dominique Lasco , MC2 (SW/AW) Erika Manzano, EDITOR > MCCS (SW/AW) Scott Williams MC2 (SW/AW) John Scorza

Ethos is an authorized official production of the Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs Office, 2000 Trident Way, San Diego, Calif. 92155-5599. Send electronic submissions and correspondence to [email protected] or call (619) 522-2825. STAFF Front cover photo by MC2 Michael D. Blackwell Table of contents photo by MC2 Michael D. Blackwell The Ever-Evolving

As we grow our end strength of operators and expand their mission sets, our technical enablers are mirroring their efforts. New units are being organized Art and fielded by the Support Activities. These include Unmanned Aircraft Systems Troops, Multi-Purpose Combat Canine Teams and Cultural Engagement Troops. The Center is also in the midst of its own transformation in training our future warriors. We are now seeing gains in the quality and quantity of candidates completing BUD/S. Read Naval Special Warfare is known for its ability to carry out the more about this beginning on page 14. WARtoughest missions and adapt to new threats with innovative thinking While this Ethos is very operationally focused, we are still paying and dynamic action. 2010 will showcase these hallmark traits of our attention to how we can take care of the warrior and his family here warriors and organization as we continually adapt our operations. at home. Beginning on page 20, read how Project FOCUS and the This issue focuses heavily on our forward operations, highlighting third location decompression program that we initiated months ago are the newly developed NSW Anchor Teams. As you read further on page maturing and evolving as we learn more about how to maintain and even six, the Anchor Teams are our response to SOCOM’s requirement for improve our lives beyond the battlefield. a focused, persistent presence in key geographic locations where we NSW is evolving like never before, and we will raise direct and indirect expect to operate for the foreseeable future. Small teams of operators will special warfare capabilities for the fight to new levels. Operators, Sailors provide continuity to our foreign and interagency partners by bridging the in combat support and combat service support roles, and civilian staff gap between squadron deployments. They will be assigned to an AOR must recognize this transformation and continually support it with fresh for a four-year tour, establishing relationships and learning everything ideas. I am committed to ensuring Naval Special Warfare remains flexible possible about the local culture, language and customs. NSW has a and innovative, and building upon the legacy of honor we inherited from legacy of serving in an ‘advise and assist’ role. Now it is time for a new our pioneers. generation of operators to further the legacy. Rear Adm. Edward Winters The first Anchor Teams roll out the door next month. I expect to see our brightest and most skilled SEALs and SWCC step forward to take on this new, challenging assignment. To help bring NSW focus in Africa, read on page four how the newly formed NSW Unit 10 will set the example of how we work with our foreign partners in this new front against the enemies of the United States. While we have tracked terrorist activity in places like the Horn of Africa, there are emerging threats in the northern region of the continent. Lt. Cmdr. Chris Fussell, a SEAL and Naval Postgraduate School student, wrote an excellent analysis of this new threat for this issue on page 10.

ETHOS 1 n the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, four SEALs died and eight were injured during an attempt to secure Punta Paitilla Airfield, disable Gen. Manuel Noriega’s plane and prevent him from leaving the country.

In December 2009 and January 2010, both the White House and that the operation had been compromised, and he moved up the SEAL Team 4 hosted remembrance ceremonies honoring service time to execute the operation by a half hour,” Carley said. “But members who participated in the action, otherwise known as the clocks and safety and arming devices on the explosives Operation Just Cause. were already set.” Navy SEAL Capt. Adam Curtis did not attend either ceremony, “As they were doing so (attaching explosives to the patrol but he will never forget what happened. boat), a fire fight was going on and grenades were falling into It was almost Christmas, 1989, and Curtis was looking forward the water,” said Carley. “They (SEALs) thought that they were to a great evening with his wife Bonnie who was visiting him in detected. But they finished attaching their explosive devices Panama. Curtis was a lieutenant assigned as a riverine division before swimming away.” officer at a special boat unit in Panama at the time. As the clock struck 0100, a large blast from the SEAL’s “I transferred on an unaccompanied tour to Panama. I had been explosives shook the walls of buildings across Panama, married a year and a half. I went down for what was intended to sending PDF soldiers scrambling for an imminent battle. This be a 14-month tour,” said Curtis. part of the mission was a historic success — it was the first Curtis and Bonnie had just finished eating dinner at a local time SEALs successfully executed an underwater swimmer restaurant and were on the way back to his barracks when they attack against an enemy ship of battle. reached a Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) checkpoint. At the same moment near Paitilla Airfield, more SEALs The couple was questioned and their car was searched. Curtis were coming ashore in small inflatable boats. “We saw and recounted. “While we were there, another group of Americans heard the explosion in Panama City while waiting for our swim came to the road block, three Army guys and a Marine – all officers. scouts to signal the beach landing site,” recounted SEAL Capt. They (the Americans) felt threatened, they gunned it through the Dennis Hansen, a lieutenant at the time, and platoon officer in road block, and five PDF soldiers turned and fired at the car. The charge for SEAL Team 4. officer in the back, an Army lieutenant named (Robert) Paz, was “As we advanced, I heard yelling,” Hansen said. “The plan killed.” was to tell security guards to go away. This seemed to work That night, the PDF held Curtis and his wife at a detention well until we got to Noriega’s plane hangar. There, a gun center where they were interrogated for hours. Their ordeal was a fight broke out after a brief exchange of words. The platoon moment that changed their lives and American history. adjacent to mine was directly in front of the hanger. They were Tensions between the United States and Panama had been to disable the plane. About half of the platoon was wounded. escalating long before Curtis’ situation and the PDF had been I sent my assistant officer in charge (AOIC) and his squad to harassing Americans stationed there for a while, he said. According support the platoon that was in contact. They took effective fire to Curtis, President George H. W. Bush made the final decision to also, killing my AOIC and wounding a couple of other men.” invade Panama after hearing about how Curtis had been beaten Four team members died in the fire fight: Lt.j.g. John during his interrogation, and particularly how wis wife was Connors, Chief Engineman Donald McFaul, Boatswain’s Mate terrorized while they were detained. 1st Class Chris Tilghman, and Torpedoman’s Mate 2nd Class By Sunday, elements of Navy SEAL Teams 2 and 4 had Isaac Rodriguez III. infiltrated the country. The two teams were given the task of The SEALs who participated in Operation Just Cause destroying Panamanian patrol boats and taking control of Paitilla endured a bittersweet ending. Bonnie and the other SEAL Airfield. At that point, Noriega was the leader of Panama and one families remained in Panama, having to endure the nearby of the world’s most scandalous dictators. fighting, while Curtis joined his teammates in the invasion. At around midnight, elements of SEAL Teams 2 and 4 were Noriega turned himself into U.S. authorities 14 days after on the move. SEAL Cmdr. Norman Carley, task unit commander SEALs invaded the country. for SEAL Team 2, was with his men aboard combat rubber raiding MC2 Matt Daniels crafts in a mangrove, waiting to launch his four SEAL swimmers MC2 Shauntae Hinkle-Lymas to attach explosives to the Presidente Porras patrol boat. “The commander of the whole operation, Gen. (Carl) Steiner, thought

2 ETHOS OUR GLOBAL Sharing the Knowledge FOOTPRINT JSOTF-P SEALs assist in training of Philippine Armed Forces

ourteen members of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently finished training on 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats with NSW personnel attached to Joint Special Operations Task (above) Armed Forces of the Philippines Navy SEALs Force-Philippines at Naval Base Cavite. participate in a training evolution aboard AFP Navy The six-week course was designed to give students follow-on training logistics support vessel BRP Dagupan City (LC-551) after four RIBs were purchased by the Philippine government in July during a maritime interdiction operation exercise. 2009 from the U.S. Maritime Institute. These are the first 11-meter RIBs (left) Personnel aboard an 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable purchased for use by Philippine Naval Special Operations Units. boats (RIB) owned by Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Group prepare to perform a JSOTF-P’s Task Force Archipelago was asked to conduct an advanced, maritime interdiction operation exercise in Manila Bay. detailed course for its Filipino counterparts at Cavite which would be similar to the training a U.S. SWCC receives. Photos by Lt. j.g. Theresa Donnelly “The people going through this course will become trainers themselves, now that they are experts on the boats. After the class, they will go back to their respective units and train others on what they learned here,” said the JSOTF-P Navy SEAL officer in charge. JSOTF-P’s RIB detachment leading chief petty officer. “Their motivation Students in training learned different parts of boat operation and to receive this knowledge is great. I was continuously impressed with their mission execution, such as mission planning, schematics of the boat, enthusiasm and commitment to the training. I am fully comfortable with night navigation, medical training, weapons employment and how to their ability to operate the boat.” perform maintenance to keep the boats fully operational. The RIBs will be sent to various units which will enhance the Armed Sharing this knowledge and enhancing the skill sets of the NAVSOU Forces of the Philippines’ capabilities to address transnational crimes and was an honor for the East Coast-based Special Boat Team. Military counter maritime threats by conducting maritime interdiction operations. subject matter expert exchanges are one of the key mission capabilities of JSOTF-P. By Lt. j.g. Theresa Donnelly “The (Philippine) Navy SEALs did a great job during this class,” said CJOSTF-P Public Affairs

ETHOS 3 OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

A FORCE MULTIPLIER n emerging Navy component will focus on responsibility for DoD activities in Africa was shared among U.S. foreign special operations partnerships in European Command, U.S. Central Command and the U.S. Pacific Africa. Naval Special Warfare Unit 10 (NSWU 10) Command. The establishment of U.S. Africa Command indicates the growing strategic importance of Africa and the need for a united will stand up later this year to support Special approach when dealing with regional peace and stability issues. Operations Command Africa (SOCAFRICA). Co-located with NSWU 2 in Panzer Kaserne, Stuttgart, Germany, the command that will become Unit 10 is projected to grow to an initial Rear Adm. Edward Winters, commander, Naval Special Warfare operating capability of 25 personnel over the next year. Currently, Command, recently directed the re-commissioning of NSWU 10 to NSWU 10 has a unit identification code and billets; and over the be the maritime component command of SOCAFRICA, a theater next few years, manning will grow to approximately 53 personnel, special operations command. SOCAFRICA integrates SOF into U.S. mirroring other NSW units. Africa Command (AFRICOM) theater security plans by matching the NSWU 10 is working with select partner nations to increase their appropriate SOF with mission requirements, and maintains operational capacity to secure their coastlines by training and advising maritime command and control over all SOF forces in theater. Immediately after counter terrorism units. Additionally, NSWU 10 is establishing the SOCAFRICA establishment Oct. 1, 2008, it began listing its mission capability to rapidly deploy SEALs and SWCC as NSW task groups requirements – many of which were tailored for SEAL and SWCC in support of contingency operations. operators. NSWU 10 coordinates efforts from deployed NSW leadership and AFRICOM, a unified command, gives DoD one military regional experts with U.S. diplomatic teams and host nation military. headquarters focused on U. S. initiatives on the continent. Previously, Rotating NSW squadrons deploy to meet most of the operational

Cameroon elite Battalion d’Intervention Rapide forces are training with SEAL and SWCC operators on basic boat handling skills, waterborne patrols, GPS navigation and vessel interdiction. The efforts have already proven successful in halting terrorists’ actions. MCC Stan Travioli MCC Stan

4 ETHOS Cameroon

Kenya Africa

requirements in this area of operations. SEALs and SWCC train with and advise partner nations, work with interagency partners and engage enemy combatants. MULTIPLIER NSW forces are assuming important roles supporting SOCAFRICA and its subordinate commands, Joint Special Operations Task Force,

Trans-Sahara (JSOTF-TS) and the Special Operations Command Arcenio Gonzalez Jr. Illustration by MC2 and Control Element, Horn of Africa (SOCCE-HOA) in two of the most volatile regions on the African continent. JSOTF-TS is charged The contributions by NSW forces in Kenya will enhance the with countering the growing Al Qaeda threat within the Trans-Sahara maritime security environment – especially along the Somali border – region. SOCCE-HOA focuses on the growing challenges with and set the conditions for a more stable economy, both for the Kenyans piracy and terrorism in Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea and and the region. Tanzania. Two of NSW’s key partners in Africa are Kenya and Cameroon. NSW is working alongside select groups from these countries to CAMEROON combat the emerging threat of piracy and terrorism, and in the process, NSW forces are also making significant contributions in the nation creating the model within SOCAFRICA for persistent engagements. of Cameroon. A mix of SEAL and SWCC operators are training the Both engagements are producing tangible results; the Kenyan and Cameroon elite Battalion d’Intervention Rapide (BIR) and building Cameroonian forces have executed successful unilateral vessel infrastructure for maritime defense. interdiction operations. These engagements are laying the framework The comprehensive program focuses first on basic boat handling for enhanced security and stability on the African continent. skills. As the students progress, NSW operators incorporate waterborne patrols, GPS navigation and vessel interdiction. Like the Kenyan partnership, the efforts in Cameroon have quickly produced results; the first graduates have already halted terrorists’ KENYA actions, including a recent engagement which eliminated a small NSW supports operations at Manda Bay, Kenya with a Special Boat group of pirates. Task Unit, along with assistance from the Navy Small Craft Instruction As NSW expands into the AFRICOM area of operations, and Technical Training School. SEAL and SWCC operators are understanding the mission, partner nation capabilities, the terrain training Kenyan naval forces with over-the-horizon interdiction. With and the local population will be key. NSWU 10 will be a springboard NSW’s mentoring, Kenya’s maritime forces are pushing past the and valuable force multiplier for SOCAFRICA, allowing continued basics and learning advanced seamanship and tactics, and will soon success in bringing stability to volatile regions, thwarting terrorism have their own trained instructors to develop these skills even further. and piracy, and ultimately, protecting U.S. strategic interests. The task unit also assists civil engineers with evaluating ports in need of repair, and indentifying small construction projects to benefit the MCC Stan Travioli local populace. NSWG 2 Public Affairs

ETHOS 5 OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Anchor Teams

Nearly 2,300 years ago Sun Tzu wrote, “Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” Sun Tzu espoused a philosophy that was focused on state warfare but still applies in today’s struggle against loosely organized insurgencies and terrorist networks driven by ideology. 6 ETHOS key component of knowing our missions in support of combatant commanders, enemy is to understand the human primarily in Iraq and Afghanistan, there terrain of the places where we is a growing demand for irregular warfare are engaged. In a recent article missions, including counterinsurgency, for Joint Force Quarterly magazine, Adm. foreign internal defense (FID), and security Eric T. Olson, commander of USSOCOM, force assistance (SFA), as well as advanced summed up the value of knowing our enemy in intelligence operations and liaison. This broader terms: “The surest means of winning “advise and assist” role is similar to the against an irregular enemy is to defeat him missions encompassing SOF operations in before the shooting starts. Consensus must be Vietnam with partner nations and interagency favored over coercion, and the ability to do Illustration by MC2 Arcenio Gonzalez Jr. partners during the early days of NSW. so proactively requires a holistic approach to warfare aimed at both eliminating adversaries PERSISTENT PRESENCE and eroding the conditions that foment and Today’s watchword is “persistent,” as in foster their behavior.” maintaining a persistent presence. Personnel Irregular warfare against these “non-state assigned to NSWADs are expected to complete actors” tends to be in areas of strife where a four-year tour with multiple deployments of “weak or failed governments” are no longer various lengths to their area of responsibility capable of adequately meeting the basic (AOR). They will become immersed in the survival needs of the population, he wrote. local language, culture, customs, attitudes Hence, organizations such as the Taliban in and beliefs in their AOR. Afghanistan step in to provide those needs or “There are some locations where anchor simply fill the power vacuum. Their strength teams will be co-located with other DOD lies in the ability to create binding ties of real “The mission of forces,” said Cmdr. Robert Newson, deputy value to the population and take advantage of these teams is to assistant chief of staff for operations plans their knowledge of the terrain, both physical and policy at NSWC. “In other locations they and human. It is their relationship with the “foster continuity, may be the only DOD element. They will population that gives them advantage. cultural expertise, have extensive interaction with the embassy’s Countering this advantage requires persistent country team security assistance office and presence in the environment to develop the connectedness, other members of the country team. They knowledge, expertise, relationships and trust and long-term will be embedded with partner nation forces with partner nations and other agencies. and working from forward operating bases.” Naval Special Warfare’s traditional six commitment – The NSWATs are designed to be the month deployment cycle and limited repeat the four C’s of bridge between DOD forces, partner nations deployments by NSW operators to key areas and interagency partners, eliminating the hinders ownership, continuity and long-term counterinsurgency.” awkwardness, disassociation, memory loss expertise. One simple solution would be to Rear Adm. Edward Winters and transactional friction created by the extend all deployments out to nine months or commander, NSW complete turnover of personnel every six a year to give time for these relationships to months, a phenomenon known in NSW build, but this would have a negative impact leadership circles as ‘flush and fill.’ on our families and eventually the battlefield. “We’re also talking about the unique language and culture of other U.S. government NSW ANCHOR DETACHMENT known as NSW Anchor Teams (NSWAT), agencies,” said Newsom, “whether it’s In order to adapt to the demands of irregular to geographically-assigned areas. They will Department of State, U.S. Agency for warfare and find a balanced operational answer to their Theater Special Operations International Development or anybody else. tempo, NSW has ordered the reinvestment Command (TSOC) for tasking. According to We want these guys to be the ones who move and expansion of indirect warfare capabilities. Rear Adm. Edward Winters, commander of seamlessly in and out and communicate A tasking order issued in December directed NSWC, the mission of these teams is to “foster DOD thoughts in a language that people the implementation of a new organizational continuity, cultural expertise, connectedness, understand. tool that will provide an enduring ownership and long-term commitment – the four C’s of “Their (NSWATs) year-long deployment of the problem set with a human investment successful counterinsurgency.” shifts their time focus, so they’re not so for creating, nurturing and sustaining various Anchor Detachments derive their name concerned about getting things done on a six- relationships in places where our forces are from the SOCOM 2006 Capstone Concept month cycle,” he said. “This is significant to currently involved in SOF missions. This for Special Operations (CCSO), which says a country team that views six-month TDYs tool is the Naval Special Warfare Anchor “Serving as strategic anchors, small forward- as transients; whereas they see guys who are Detachment (NSWAD). based joint SOF teams will be situated in there for a year or more as professionals who NSWAD is an umbrella term for small or adjacent to critical or sensitive countries. are invested in their problem set.” teams of regionally-focused operators who They will build stability through sustained “NSWAT members are expected to develop are committed to specific Partner Nation (PN) engagement over a period of years with host and maintain core competencies such as forces and cultural expertise. The NSWAD nation security forces.” combat skills, instruction and assessment, is the CONUS-based element of operators While today’s NSW operators have security assistance and interagency relations. reassigned to NSW Support Activities. been largely focused on direct action and This goes along with the language, regional Each NSWAD will deploy small elements, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance continued

ETHOS 7 Lt. j.g. Theresa Donnelly Lt. j.g.

Training with partner nation forces is a key mission for Anchor Teams. FID, SFA and combat advisement provides long- term relationships with partner nation forces, which in turn gives them both the authorities and ground truth they need to conduct operations. expertise and cultural knowledge they must A SELECT PERCENTAGE OF THE to that area,” said Newson. “They have to attain.” SEAL AND SWCC COMMUNITY be adaptable, mature and professionally “The complexity of the present strategic The total number of personnel assigned seasoned with an affinity for this kind of work environment requires that SOF operators to NSWADs will remain a very small select – it’s a blend of rank, operational experience maintain not only the highest levels of war- percentage of the entire community of and personality. fighting expertise but also cultural knowledge SEAL and SWCC operators. Initial selection “This is a refining school for NSW and diplomacy skills,” said Olson to JFQ. of personnel has already occurred at the unit leaders. It’s the refinement and This would require “a multidimensional Group level and more than 100 operators professionalization of the SEAL/SWCC force prepared to lay the groundwork in were considered for the few dozen available capability. If you plan on being a SEAL the myriad diplomatic, development, and NSWAD billets. master chief in NSW, you should try to get defense activities that contribute to the “Each of the Groups nominated a range of on an anchor detachment because that will U.S. Government’s pursuit of vital national Sailors that fit a discrete profile,” said Cmdr. help make you competitive in the future interests. Sam Havelock, commanding officer, NSW environment where an entire squadron is no “If we do not commit a significant portion Support Activity 1. “There was a very long longer going to Iraq but instead distributed of our personnel to living abroad in other list of nominees which was whittled down to across the globe.” cultures for extended periods,” he continued, the most ideal people for the job.” NSWADs will also feature some limited “and to specializing rather than generalizing What type of operator fits the description civilian billets. “We are our skill sets, then we will fail to gain the of the ideal NSWAT member? looking at prior SOF guys trust, credibility and faith of those nations and “We are looking for a guy who has deployed to be operations and partners we claim to be fighting alongside.”

“If we do not commit a significant portion of our personnel to living abroad in other cultures for extended periods, and to specializing rather than generalizing our skill sets, then we will fail to gain the trust, credibility and faith of those nations and partners we claim to be fighting alongside.” Adm. Eric T. Olson commander, USSOCOM

8 ETHOS plans officers for the anchor detachments, but they may also deploy,” said Newson. “They could be on a multi-tour assignment with that detachment. It’s an opportunity to tap into that graybeard experience level that we need to provide additional maturity and continuity.” The first deployment will happen no later than April. The PCS transfer of personnel to remaining NSWAD billets is expected to be final by October.

CAREER MILESTONES NSW leaders anticipate the community may wonder how a tour of duty with an NSWAD will affect career paths. Rear Adm. Winters plans to give guidance to promotion selection boards in order to enhance the careers of those operators participating in the NSWADs, Newson said. “In his community Sgt. Micky M. Bazaldua Army Staff U.S. guidance, he talks about the career milestones, the important schools the guy would have; he would discuss the importance of being In order to adapt to and counter the enemy’s an Anchor Team member and how that is advantage, Naval Special Warfare has ordered the reinvestment and expansion of indirect warfare capabilities. A task order issued in December implemented a new organizational tool that will provide an enduring ownership of valuable to the community.” the problem set with a human investment for creating, nurturing and sustaining various relationships in places “Maturing operators view career milestones where our forces are currently involved in SOF missions. This tool is the Naval Special Warfare Anchor Team. as tours of duty with a platoon, task unit, or cross-functional troop (CFT),” Newson said, “and they may not understand how an appetite for unilateral (U.S.-only) operations advisers.” NSWAD fits into a successful career model. A decreases. Specific deployment areas and exact misperception might be that a specialization “Many people think Special Forces composition of the NSWADs is too sensitive tour with an NSWAD focused on one embrace FID just because they like doing to discuss here, however, Newson said more geographic area or country may stunt the FID,” he said. “They embrace FID because information will be communicated to the growth of a career, but this is not the case. In it serves as a platform to remain relevant in force via ‘town hall meetings’ with Rear Adm. my mind, it’s no different than a disassociated whatever stage of war in which they find Winters, and through other official channels. tour to be an instructor at the Center or a staff themselves. FID, SFA and combat advisement Havelock, in the meantime, is confident officer of a TSOC.” provides long-term relationships with partner the Anchor Detachments will be successful. nation forces, which in turn gives them both “I have no doubt the guys are going to exceed SIMILAR TIME AWAY FROM HOME the authorities and ground truth they need to everyone’s broadest hopes for the program,” Operators may also be concerned with how conduct operations. he said. “Once SEALs and SWCCs are given the longer deployment may affect family life. “Once major combat operations wind a mission, they succeed. We are committed Havelock said his first priority after mission down, dynamic operations become fewer and to providing them the training, flexibility, success was to take care of the operators and far between,” said Havelock. “You have to go and command support to make this effort a their families, but the operator should note out and build the capability you want to fight success.” that the actual time spent away from home beside, develop the information you need, The future may include fleet interoperability as a member of the NSWAD will be quite and operate under the authorities that only the initiatives for some Anchor Teams and a similar to a tour of duty with a squadron. partner nation’s force or other agencies will concentration on a foreign language program “If you do a comparative analysis between possess. to enhance force flexibility and strengthen a a squadron’s inter-deployment training cycle “If you want operational opportunities,” diverse force. (IDTC) schedule and what we have planned continued Havelock, “you have to be “The strength of SOF,” said Olson during for NSWADs, you’re going to find Sailors forward, you have to be in small teams, and his JFQ interview, “is not in raising basic will spend nearly the same time TDY away you have to be alongside people who have armies or police forces; it is in developing and from home over the course of four years,” he the authority to operate. This notion that mentoring the special forces, commandos, said. you are going to be operating less, and that paramilitary, and surrogate forces of other you will have no operational opportunity as nations, which we are doing in both Iraq and OPERATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES an NSW adviser is flawed. Mike Thornton Afghanistan.” Havelock said NSW members should look won the Congressional Medal of Honor while at duty with an NSWAD as a way of linking serving as one of two SEAL advisers leading MCCS Scott Williams NSW into sustained operational opportunities a Vietnamese squad in combat. His story is with partner forces, especially as the political just one across a long legacy of NSW combat

ETHOS 9 Al Qaeda in the land of the Maghreb: Danger or Delusion? Matthew Binard

n Sept. 11, 2006, senior Al Qaeda deputy Ayman al- focused strictly on the power struggle inside of Algeria with the goal Zawahiri announced via video release that the Algerian- of putting an Islamic government into power; their transformation based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) into AQIM purported to represent a unifying jihadist banner for would henceforth be officially affiliated with Al Qaeda. all movements in North Africa under the umbrella of the Al Qaeda This was followed in January 2007 with an announcement from GSPC (AQ) global association. A merger such as this, to the reactionary that its name had officially changed to the Organization of Al Qaeda constituency, represented the viral nature of the Al Qaeda organization in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). At first glance, this and was a sure sign of things to come in the ongoing struggle to defeat represents the manifestation of many Western fears about the Al Qaeda AQ. The merger and subsequent GSPC-to-AQIM name change could organization. GSPC was created as a militant Islamic organization be read as a sign of Al Qaeda’s impressive ability for expansion and

10 ETHOS suggested that AQ’s global jihad ideology would begin to turn once- would witness the violent deaths of 150,000-200,000 Algerian citizens, regionally focused organizations such as GSPC into part Al Qaeda’s rebels and military personnel in the combined efforts of both camps. ever-expanding global terror network. This view is captured well by The strongest element to emerge from the anti-government forces analysis from Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center: “The name was the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), but the atrocities they inflicted change is indicative of the group’s desire to transform itself into an upon Algerian citizens during this period, combined with improved Al-Qaeda regional affiliate, expand its aims beyond Algeria to create a counterinsurgency strategy on the part of the Algerian government, led regional caliphate, and adopt a pan-Islamic, as opposed to nationalistic, to their slow delegitimization in the eyes of the Algerian citizenry. In jihadist ideology.” 1998, then senior and seasoned GIA leader Hasaan Hattab broke away But does such rhetoric overstate the importance of the GSPC-AQ to start his own faction, the Groupe Salafist pour la Predication et le merger and the emergence of AQIM while missing the true meaning Combat (GSPC). Hataab’s breakaway was due, in large part, to his of the evolution? In simplest terms, does this merger represent the discontent with GIA’s targeting of Algerian citizens that was, for all emergence, in AQIM, of a new globally-focused jihadist organization; practical purposes, highly indiscriminate. In announcing the creation or, is it simply a marriage of convenience resulting from the selfish of GSPC, Hattab quickly established the intent of GSPC was to focus interests of both GSPC and Al Qaeda? The following analysis will on outside enemies and their collaborators in Algeria, not on innocent address this question by tracing the membership, actions and tactics of Algerian citizens. GSPC and AQIM to demonstrate that there is, in fact, little evidence But the counter insurgency of the Algerian regime was proving of the emergence of a significantly more dangerous transnational effective, and following the GSPC’s establishment, the group quickly threat as a result of the merger. What will be evident is a dominantly came under great pressure from the increasingly successful efforts of Algeria-focused campaign, with minimal actions in the Maghreb and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Hataab would leave the organization Sahel regions, that sees AQIM continuing on a very in 2001, and the organization would see a series of leadership changes similar course as their predecessors. But while over the years following. By 2003, GSPC was in a position of relative there is little evidence to support the alarmist view, weakness, having come under additional pressure following the existence of AQIM as a transnational network the 9/11 Al Qaeda attacks as the United States increased of contacts and relationships warrants close financial support to Bouteflika’s counter-terror efforts. monitoring and continued dismantling efforts. From this position, GSPC began a campaign of overtly Regardless of the demonstrated kinetic capability aligning themselves with Al Qaeda. This relationship of the organization, the connectivity of the network continued to evolve for several years, culminating in implies a latent danger that should be aggressively the 2006 announcement by Zawahiri that officially disrupted as it does improve the global reach and welcomed GSPC into the fold of Al Qaeda’s global information campaign of Al Qaeda. jihadist movement. The organization subsequently changed it name, and AQIM was officially born. This analysis of AQIM will look at four aspects of comparison History between GSPC and AQIM activities: membership, the number The history of Algeria from the late 1980s to the late 1990s of kinetic operations executed, the locations of these operations is violent and complex. Along with radical political struggles, and the tactics utilized by AQIM. Taken in total, these variables the decade saw the emergence of a series of Islamist groups will offer conclusions as to the actual threat posed by AQIM, and whose ideologies were, in most part, expressions of discontent for demonstrate whether the transition from GSPC to AQIM created a the ruling regime in Algeria. This is not, of course, an more dangerous entity. uncommon pattern in the post-colonial Middle East, where corrupt ‘democratic’ regimes have often served Membership as a catalyst for the creation of violent opposition groups. The Algerian government, however, Given Hattab’s initial rhetoric concerning the demonstrated a particularly poor approach to its creation of AQIM, one would expect to have seen first encounter with the progenitor of Algeria’s anti- consistent efforts on the group’s behalf toward regime movement, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). unification with other jihadist groups in the The FIS was, albeit under the banner of excessively Maghreb. This has not occurred. AQIM has not militant rhetoric, seeking power through legitimate become a coalition-led organization with Tunisian, democratic channels and their electoral gains in the Moroccan and Libyan jihadist leaders joining the early 1990s caught the Algerian regime by surprise. AQIM leadership circle. Nor has it been able The threat of a legitimately elected Islamist element to establish a relationship with the other well- gaining control of the parliament was too much for established jihadist organization in the Maghreb, the the Algerian military leadership to accept and they Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) that waxed chose to execute a bloodless coup in 1992, thereby and waned in its interest in establishing a similarly blocking FIS’s legitimate avenue to political control. direct relationship with Al Qaeda. Ultimately, based Five years of extreme violence would follow, as the on the membership variable, there is little evidence military’s heavy-handed oppression tactics fueled that AQIM has had any success in creating the the ideology of more militant Islamist groups who pan-Maghreb jihadist organization it is intended to had believed all along that FIS’s approach had been represent. Instead, its leadership and membership destined for failure. remains dominated by Algerian nationals. While The ensuing conflict between the military regime this does not make the organization any less of a and the Islamist groups, spanning most of the 1990s, threat within Algeria, it does suggest that there is

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ETHOS 11 little about its current make-up to differentiate it from what GSPC U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Michael would have likely evolved into. Snodgrass, of 2nd Platoon, Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 32nd Cavalry Regiment, 101st Kinetic Operations Airborne Division, speaks with Table 1 below from Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center Sons of Iraq members about Al provides a visual representation of the increases and decreases of Qaeda activity in Abu Bakur, Iraq. AQIM kinetic operations, within Algeria, from 2002 to 2009. The figures are divided into micro and macro attacks, where macro attacks are those specifically designed to kill more than 20 people, involve explosive devises more than 100 lbs., or involve the destruction of a major transportation asset (aircraft, train, etc.). This shows a steady but not dramatic increase in both micro and macro attacks following the 2007 named change to AQIM, with a dip in macro-attacks in 2009. (Final statistics for 2009 are not yet available, but numbers are trending down from previous years.) This level of violence, while notable and warranting attention, pales in comparison to the bloodshed seen in Algeria during the 1990s. As noted by Hanna Rogan, “compared to [the violence of the 1990s], the levels of violence and numbers of attacks that have taken place during the last eight years [2001 – 2008] have been limited and relatively constant.” On scale, this level of kinetic activity does not demonstrate a radical increase in capability on the part of GSPC following its transformation into AQIM in 2007. Table 1 is limited to those AQIM kinetic operations within Algeria, which provide the best picture of the majority of the organization’s activities. AQIM has not demonstrated a high capability for executing kinetic operations in parts of the Maghreb or in the Sahel. Table 2 below (AQIM area of operations) will provide greater data on these strikes, but the numbers are minimal and the attacks have posed a relatively small threat to governments in neighboring nations. Area of Operations As to its ability to expand its area of operations, AQIM has shown similarly lackluster results since its inception. Similar to membership expansion, one would expect that AQIM would focus heavily on expanding its operational area in order to establish itself as the transnational threat it was purporting to be. However, since the 2007 name-change, the majority of its operations have taken place in the U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Micky M. Bazaldua Army Staff U.S. same areas once struck by GSPC, with only a very small number of attacks taking place outside of Algerian territory. As noted in Jane’s Insurgency and Terrorism data base: “Despite its new international image, attacks since early 2007 have been largely confined to a swath of territory east and southeast of Algiers. This area of operation suggests AQIM has yet to expand itself beyond the traditional GSPC strongholds, particularly those areas under Droukdel’s [current AQIM commander] direct control.” Table 2 from Jane’s shows the number of incidents associated with While these attacks likely AQIM in the Maghreb and Sahel regions over the past 12 months: represent a vision of where the Algeria clearly remains the focal point of AQIM activities, and its ability to affect other nations of the Maghreb is limited. Additionally, organization hopes to go, in Mali and Mauritania, where there seems to be a respectable amount of AQIM activity, there are actually very few fatalities associated they by no means represent a with these incidents. The vast majority of terrorism-related deaths in the Sahel are tied to local, nationally focused organizations (e.g., the legitimate capability to execute Taureg rebel groups in Mali). an effective trans-national While AQIM’s rhetoric and publicized vision is trans-Maghrebian and global in nature, its actual activities are strictly regional. They kinetic campaign. are mostly limited to traditional strongholds within Algeria. Attacks outside of Algeria have been sporadic, with single-digit occurrences in 2008 and 2009, and limited mostly to countries of the Sahel with marginal results. While these attacks likely represent a vision of where

12 ETHOS the organization hopes to go, they by no means represent a legitimate capability to execute an effective trans-national kinetic campaign. Tactics The tactics The tactics employed by AQIM have shown a dangerous evolution, but not necessarily in a positive direction for the organization. employed by Following its formal change to AQIM, suicide bombers and suicide AQIM have vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIED) were soon adopted as a tactic, with the first SVBIEDs appearing in April 2007, shown a dangerous less than three months after the name-change. These tactics have had a significant impact on the visibility and level of destruction evolution, associated with AQIM operations. These new tactics are most likely explained by the return of knowledgeable fighters from Iraq (both but not necessarily Algerian and some non-Algerians), where these tactics continue to be the mainstay of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). As noted by Jean-Pierre Filiu, in a positive the statements of AQIM consistently present a global jihadist tone, but the only major shift has occurred at the tactical level. “Despite direction the inflamed global rhetoric and the Internet echo chamber,” said for the Filiu, “the main difference [between GSPC and AQIM] lies in the generalization of the suicide attacks, which were practically unknown organization. in Algeria before 2007.” As seen in Iraq, the benefit for a terror organization of utilizing large suicide attacks is seen in the return on investment (the loss of one member can inflict great harm on the opposition) and in the information-operations realm, as the world media has an established for mass casualty attacks that generate a lot of publicity.” The pattern of devoting significant coverage to large scale bombings. employment of these tactics, while increasing the visibility of AQIM, However, the down side (also visible in the lifecycle of AQI) is the is likely to keep them isolated from the Algerian people from whom indiscriminate nature of such strikes that commonly involve civilian AQIM would hope to garner support. In essence, without expanding casualties. Lianne Boudali, with West Point’s Combating Terrorism its area of operations, adopting AQI tactics simply makes AQIM Center, summarized the situation: “Detonating a large bomb in a appear as a myopically focused, more brutal, regional problem. public place represents a reversal of GSPC’s pledge to avoid civilian The empirics of AQIM’s history tell a story that clearly runs casualties; however it is entirely consistent with al-Qa’ida’s fondness counter to the group’s rhetoric. It has not become a global, or even significant regional threat. Instead, it has defaulted to activities in the same areas that GSPC traditionally struck. It has not been able to significantly increase its level of kinetic operations, nor hasit managed to diversify its membership, with its ranks and leadership still dominated by Algerian nationals. The most significant change has been its willingness to adopt the indiscriminate suicide bombing tactics of AQI, a decision that makes AQIM look as unconcerned with civilian deaths as its forebears, the GIA. It should not be discounted, however, that Al Qaeda can still claim an information-operations victory in its acquisition of GSPC. In its ongoing efforts to maintain global relevance and a perceived ability to control jihadist actions around the world, any internationally recognized terror-group carrying the Al Qaeda brand name increases the perceived power of the parent organization. The vast majority of the global audience will never know the nuances of the AQ-AQIM relationship, or the details of its transition from GSPC. Instead, the real target of this overt expansion – the global consumer of main stream media – simply sees that Al Qaeda is now able to execute operations in Africa, and will make little distinction between Maghreb Table 1. and Sahel, or between high or low complexity in targeting. From this angle, despite its inability to truly grow as a regional or global threat, AQIM represents a small win for Al Qaeda as long as it is able to remain active in the eyes of the world’s media and the consumers of that media. Note: This article was originally created by the author for the Naval Postgraduate School as part of a curriculum requirement. Source citations are available upon request.

Lt. Cmdr. C.L. Fussell Table 2.

ETHOS 13 OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT NSW’S CULTURE MOVEMENT Since the early days of the Korean War and Vietnam, the U.S. military has used a variety of different programs to leverage the language and cultural awareness skills of foreign nationals or foreign-born service members. Today’s combat theaters also require these valuable enablers.

eaders at Naval Special Warfare recognized the demand and activities for theater task unit special operations commanders and incorporated a new organization that will meet this need: interagency and host nation partners. the cultural engagement troop (CET). Cmdr. Sam Havelock, “The concept is to recruit heritage-born language and regional commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Support Activity 1, experts from specific geographical areas,” said Senior Chief Special illustrated the reason for importing the talents of culturally-diverse Warfare Operator (SEAL) Daniel Gearhart, senior enlisted advisor for Sailors. the program. “When we show up to “The LREs will have peoples’ villages and it’s deep organic regional and the first time they’ve seen cultural expertise,” added Americans up close, they’re Lt. Jason H. Booher, usually terrified,” he said. commander of the CET. “They don’t understand “We’re going to look at the what’s going on and individual: his background, contracted translators can’t his education level, his really help because they tactical competency and aren’t service members and his experience, then don’t really know the full deploy him to the location context of our mission. that will have the greatest “If we want those who strategic impact.” have been exposed to combat The idea is based very situations to understand loosely off the Army’s what just happened in their “09 Lima” program, the village,” he continued, “we military occupational have to bring people who specialty for interpreters.

understand them, their Thornbloom A. Scott NSW has been in frequent language, their region and contact with the Army and their culture. If we don’t TAKE YOUR OATH The first U. S. Navy Sailors to participate in the Secretary of Defense’s several other organizations Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) pilot program are issued the Oath of have cultural experts to Citizenship at the Region Legal Service Office. that have created similar advise us and translate our programs in the past. mission, we simply create more insurgents.” “We’ve approached the development of this program from a ‘best The CET is charged with organizing, manning, training, equipping practices’ perspective of attempting to learn from others’ successes and deploying language and regional experts (LRE) to strategic and failures,” said Booher. locations across the NSW area of operations. These experts will Sailors are recruited into the CET through various pipelines, interface with local cultures and provide other combat support including the Special Operations Forces Access Recruiting Program,

Kultura ng paggalaw ng NSW ay NSW culture movement Kultura ng paggalaw ng NSW ay NSW utamaduni harakati Cultuur NSW beweging mouvman kilti NSW a Filipino Swahili Dutch Haitian Creole-Alpha 14 ETHOS SO1 Joel Beam

BUDDY AID A member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Special Operations Group participates in a battlefield exercise during a combat medic subject matter expert exchange at Naval Base Cavite, Philippines. The new language and regional experts will be able to assist operators in specific geographical locations.

consisting of the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest The CET will be located away from other NSW units to limit (MAVNI) and the Navy’s Heritage Language programs. The CET security risks. LREs will deploy and augment NSW operational units program is a USSOCOM priority and aligns with the U.S. Navy upon successful completion of their individual qualification training language skills, regional expertise and cultural awareness strategy, and security screening process. said Booher. Some MAVNI candidates have already graduated recruit training The MAVNI program is designed to encourage foreign nationals and are in the process of being received at Support Activity 1. to join the Department of Defense by offering expedited U.S. Deployments are expected to begin next year. citizenship in return for a four-year enlistment in the military. Prior to MC2 Kevin W. Clark recruitment, the MAVNI graduates are subjected to extensive security NSWG 2 Public Affairs screenings due to the sensitive nature of special warfare. This includes an appearance before an oral board of NSW leadership. Then the candidates attend recruit training with other Sailors prior to reporting to the CET. “The Navy has been very careful to develop a program with high standards and careful screening to limit the risk,” said Lt. Cmdr. Renee J. Squier, Navy Recruiting Command liaison to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations staff. “Because we want them to be SEALs or in support of SEALs, we knew that security screening was most important.” “They’ll come from boot camp and begin training that will prepare them to be area expert advisors as well as to shoot, move and communicate,” said Booher. The training pipeline will be similar to that completed by NSW Theresa Donnelly Lt. j.g. combat support personnel. They will learn weapons, communications, AFTER ACTION An SO1 medic assigned to JSOTF-P critiques students field medical procedures and everything else they’ll use onthe from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Special Operations Group battlefield on top of what’s required for them to function as competent who are administering first aid to a victim with an arm injury during a field LREs, said Gearhart. medical exercise. mouvman kilti NSW a NSW se kultuur beweging NSW kulttuuri liikkuvuus Gerakan budaya NSW DCN’s diwylliant symud Haitian Creole-Alpha Afrikaans Finnish Indonesian/Malay Welsh ETHOS 15 OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT The Center teaches language, regional expertise and cultural awareness As NSW continues to evolve and take on new missions around the world, it needs to maintain the ability to adapt and rapidly move into these areas. Just as competent Special Operations Forces cannot be created after emergencies occur, language and cultural capabilities cannot be created after the need exists. NSW must continuously look forward to the needs of future battlefields, while continuing to support the operations of today.

dm. Eric T. Olson, commander of USSOCOM, deployments. Approximately one quarter of the IAT students will be directed all SOF forces to dramatically increase their selected to move on to advanced language training (12 or 24 weeks), language and cultural abilities, building highly proficient with the goal of reaching a 2/2 in their target language. The Center operators into the basic units of operations, defined for is formalizing a curriculum for immersion and other specialized NSW as the SEAL platoon. “Our ability to communicate directly programs to sustain fluency and continue to grow an individual’s with indigenous peoples in our highest-priority operating areas has capability. This will be flexible enough to support operators despite withered significantly,” he said. “In order to regain this essential duty station and deployment rotation. mission skill, we must revamp and reprioritize our language training LREC training will be provided to tactical units during the inter- and management.” deployment training cycle that is specific to deployment location. The Naval Special Warfare Center has been tasked with establishing Each unit will receive a two-week LREC primer during professional local (East and West Coasts) language, development, unit-level training and regional expertise and cultural awareness squadron integrated training. Role (LREC) training and education players with regional language expertise programs to support the NSW Groups. will be inserted into scenarios, enabling LREC training will focus on developing units to continue to develop their LREC individual linguists as well as provide capabilities in a simulated operational deployment specific training support to environment. every operational element. The goal is to Initially, NSW will build a capability meet USSOCOM’s guidance of having in eight languages tailored to needs of one 2/2 (DLPT score for listening/ the current fight while keeping the next reading) and one 3/3 qualified linguist in ridgeline in sight. Operators attaining every tactical element. A level two score proficiency in languages are eligible indicates basic proficiency and ease of for additional pay benefits as incentive. cultural comprehension. A level three Currently, the targeted languages include score indicates fluent speaking, listening pay bonuses of between $100 and $500 and writing of target language. This per month based on language, assignment fluency will include accent and the ability and proficiency. Up to three bonuses can to form cogent arguments at academic be stacked for proficiency in multiple and thoughtful levels, including abstract languages, to a maximum of $1500 per concepts. month. More than 400 NSW operators will receive initial acquisition NSW will develop robust, competent and adaptive language abilities training (IAT) in foreign languages per year in order to reach the goal and cultural understanding across the force and at the tactical levels to of developing individual linguists. Every new SEAL and SWCC remain at the forefront of special operations. operator will attend the 12-week IAT training, as will a select group Lt. Frederick Martin of current operators in order to meet the requirements of specific NSW Center Public Affairs Officer 16 ETHOS Since Sept. 11, 2001, the need for SEALs to conduct global operations has increased dramatically. In response, Naval Special Warfare’s authorized enlisted billets have doubled to support the development of four new NSW squadrons as well as Support Activities. This rapid growth caused an immediate and dramatic difference between authorized end strength and qualified personnel on hand. This required the community to recruit and train enlisted SEALs at a dramatic rate in order to meet battlefield demand.

he growth goal of the community is to balance retention and production. In the first few years following 2001, retention was challenged by civilian security companies who lured operators away with large salaries and bonuses for short-term contractor positions. In 2004, the net loss to the enlisted SEAL inventory was 46. As a result, reenlistment and retention bonuses were dramatically increased to contend with those external competitors. Retention goals Illustration by MC2 Erica Manzano were set at 75 to 100 per year to make up the deficit of roughly 500 enlisted SEALs; and although retention dramatically improved, the NSW community only grew by an average of 11 each year from 2005 program at each Naval Recruiting District, pairing a retired SEAL, to 2007.The SEAL Production Process Improvement (SPPI) working EOD or Diver with recruits during their delayed entry program to group was established in 2006 to evaluate and guide the process of ensure that they maintain their PT regimen as well as learn more about increasing production through BUD/S and SQT. The group was the program prior to entering recruit training. chaired by Deputy Commander USSOCOM (then Vice Adm. Eric The Naval Special Warfare Center invested in a robust Recruiting T. Olson) and the Chief of Naval Personnel (then Vice Adm. John Directorate (RD) run by a SEAL captain to assist CNRC with its Harvey). Other key members of the board of directors were the marketing and recruiting of quality recruits. The NSW RD initiated commanders of the three predominant commands that directly affect multiple studies of successful candidates and contracted Gallup, recruitment, basic military training, assessment, selection and training a human behavior research organization, to provide data for a of SEAL candidates: Commander, Naval Recruiting Command revamped marketing campaign to target successful SEAL candidates. (CNRC); Commander, Naval Services Training Command (CNSTC); Additionally, the NSW RD Web site, www.sealswcc.com, provides and Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command (CNSWC). The potential candidates with accurate and updated information directly SPPI established cross-functional teams and evaluated the entire from the Center on physical preparation, nutrition and expectations. process, from recruitment to recruit training through BUD/S and SQT. It provides a forum for young men to discuss their own preparations All phases of training were reviewed. A core mission of the SPPI was with each other and RD personnel, which is now realigned under to maintain the standards of BUD/S and not sacrifice quality of SQT WARCOM. graduates simply to gain quantity. CNRC recently implemented an additional classification screening CNRC succeeded in recruiting quality candidates at rates never test at the Recruiting Districts for SEAL recruits. The Computerized before achieved by increasing from approximately 850 recruits to Special Operations Resiliency Test (C-SORT) was developed over 1,289 annually. CNRC also established the Special Operations Mentor continued

ETHOS 17 three years by a multi-command group that measures a candidate’s tolerance for psychological adversity, or “mental toughness.” When combined with the other significant factor that could predict success, the candidate’s initial Physical Standards Test, the result was an assessment that could accurately predict – with 97.5 percent confidence – who would likely drop out of BUD/S by the completion of Hell Week. Armed with knowledge gained from C-SORT, CNRC implemented new policy for recruitment of SEAL candidates and effectively removed 20 percent of applicants who would have previously dropped under instruction at the Center. Naval Recruiting Command has also changed vision standards from 20/200 to 20/40 and 20/75. This more stringent requirement eliminates about 150 candidates annually who would have to be placed in a medical hold status at the Center to receive corrective eye surgery prior to starting BUD/S. Candidates with the poorer vision historically were at a severe disadvantage, less likely by half to graduate compared

to their peers with better vision. MC2 Michelle Kapica Naval Services Training Command focused on decreasing SEAL UP AND OVER Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) students battle candidate losses at recruit training in Great Lakes, Ill. Recruits through the surf during their last day of Hell Week. SEAL candidates coming to with SEAL contracts go through basic training together in a special Coronado for training have already completed an eight-week prep course in Great division. This allows a medical officer to be available on accession Lakes, Ill., hopefully improving their chances of graduating from BUD/S. day to rectify any medical discrepancies found in the recruit’s record. The special division conducts extra physical training events to keep them physically fit during boot camp. These measures have reduced other testable skills at BUD/S. Candidates learn SEAL heritage and the decline in physical performance traditionally found in boot camp, history, military bearing, ethics, the SEAL Ethos, mental toughness, and allows recruits to attend the basic training with individuals with nutrition, stretching and physical training theory. Classes ship from similar career goals. the NSW Preparatory School as a team and arrive at the Center having Following the lead of the EOD and Diver community, NSW already met entry standards. established the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School at Great Cdr. Brian Sebenaler, commanding officer of the Naval Special Lakes. This eight-week course following boot camp focuses on Warfare Basic Training Command, said the Prep School and new physically and mentally preparing candidates for the rigors of BUD/S. recruiting efforts are producing dramatic results. “Students are more All enlisted candidates including fleet accessions go through the physically fit and mentally prepared than ever before, and it shows in course. Candidates work out five days a week, focusing on strength the improved success rates, as well as the number of students we are and conditioning and learning running and swimming techniques and graduating,” he said. BUD/S Orientation, formerly INDOC, was restructured to three weeks to ensure that candidates were not being broken down physically prior to entering BUD/S. It specifically focuses on transitioning a “coached” candidate into a safe and knowledgeable trainee who understands the exercises, standards and requirements of BUD/S. BUD/S Orientation includes training on the obstacle course, The mental and log PT, IBS (inflatable boat small) drills, open water swimming and running on the soft beach sand. The standards to transition from physical quality of BUD/S Orientation to BUD/S also remain the same as the old INDOC candidates entering program. the BUD/S pipeline is the highest it has ever been in the history of the program.

18 ETHOS medical losses from training. It has a new medical and rehab facility that is remarkably staffed to support the increased student load and resultant increase in medical rehab demand. The medical facility now has an X-ray machine for immediate diagnosis, which enhances decisions regarding candidate retention in the event of injury. The NSW medical facility has a direct link to Naval Medical Center San Diego to rapidly review all specialist’s assessments and radiology reports. The medical staff educates the instructor cadre on early detection of injuries and contributing exercises or activities that exacerbate the possibility of overuse and acute injuries. Curriculum activities have been modified to lessen potential causes of catastrophic injuries. For example IBS squats during Hell Week were reduced in response to an increase in hip and pelvis fractures. The Center continues to explore the edge of medical science, using a small pill, swallowed by candidates before Hell Week, which measures their core temperature and reports it to a corpsman via a handheld scanner. This allows for faster, more accurate and more thorough tracking and diagnosis of

MC2 Dominique Lasco heat and cold-related injuries. KEEPING COUNT Sailors perform pull-ups while taking a physical screening Naval Special Warfare Center’s Commanding Officer, Capt. test at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado. Sailors interested in applying for SEAL Stewart Elliott, said “Our program is a systematic, time-proven and training must not only pass the physical requirements, but must take an exam that objectively verified curriculum – but a curriculum isn’t a program. evaluates their tolerance for psychological adversity, or “mental toughness.” The instructors, all combat-proven SEALs, are professional, dedicated and committed to training the next generation of frogmen.” In addition to focusing on the candidate and the curriculum, the The Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL program itself was also Center has focused on supporting the development of its instructors. carefully examined. The curriculum and standards over the last 20 Every SEAL instructor now attends the Center’s Instructor Qualification years were left largely unchanged. In 2009, the Naval Audit Service Course. This four-week course not only satisfies Naval Enlisted was commissioned to analyze BUD/S and recommend changes that Classification requirements, but also addresses the unique situations might increase candidate success while not jeopardizing fundamental of the SEAL training process. It touches on the philosophy of basic standards. As a result, they recommended building an “ocean-side training, training techniques, risk management and the psychology of galley” to reduce the volume of running that was not directly attributed the SOF training environment. Reviewed by instructors as “a course I to training requirements. This would theoretically reduce candidate wish I had before my LPO tour” and “every E-6 and E-7 should have rollback and loss rates due to stress this course,” it has been very successful at supporting the transition fractures. This expeditionary-style of operators and leaders from combat to the training environment and meal-service facility is scheduled providing them with the skills to be professional instructors. for construction at Gator Beach The mental and physical quality of candidates entering the BUD/S and should be ready for use by pipeline is the highest it has ever been in July. Additionally, the audit team the history of the program. Larger BUD/S identified the remarkable difference classes are, and will continue to be the new in success rates between the winter status quo. The quality of new SEALS upon season and the summer season. The graduation from the 58-week BUD/S and Center complied and rescheduled SQT training pipeline has never been better. classes to avoid beginning during The Center consistently interacts with the the winter season. Now six BUD/S NSW Groups to ensure that the quality of classes per year will begin between the new SEAL graduate meets current and February and October vice January future operational requirements. First-time and October. deploying SQT graduates are meeting or The Center is also employing exceeding professional development, unit research and technology and cutting level and squadron integration training edge protocols to reduce the rate of standards at the Groups and Squadrons and their performance on the battlefield has been magnificent.

NSW Center Public Affairs Allen Jr. Spc. Bobby L.

ETHOS 19 What would you do if your daughter hadn’t spoken to you in a month? She’s hurt and angry with you, that much you know, but why? She won’t speak. When you ask, you fight. And you’re leaving for deployment in three weeks. With the current cycle of deployments within NSW, more parents are faced with this or a similar scenario, more often a critical need for prevention and intervention services to foster resiliency than ever before. within military families and initiated with UCLA Project FOCUS. In the United States today, about 1.2 million children have FOCUS (Families OverComing Under Stress) for the Navy Bureau of an active duty military parent, and within NSW, about 40 Medicine and Surgery’s (BUMED) is a psychological health resiliency- percent of service members have at least one dependent building program designed for military families facing the psychological child under the age of 18. And since 2001, nearly every challenges of combat operational stress during wartime. FOCUS is based on leading evidenced-based family intervention models for at-risk families child has been affected by a recent or current deployment and has been shown to have positive emotional, behavioral and adaptive of a parent to the combat zones of Iraq or Afghanistan, or outcomes for families. FOCUS services augment existing Navy Medicine sometimes worse – location unknown. and Navy and Marine Corps community support programs in order to Wartime deployment takes a toll on both the service member and provide a comprehensive system of care that supports family readiness and family members on the homefront, with multiple deployments often wellness. In addition, FOCUS services are offered to Army and Air Force causing additional stress. Research on parents with stress reactions has families at select installations through funding from DOD Office of Military demonstrated that such difficulties interfere with parenting, family life and Family and Community Policy. child adjustment across a range of contexts, disrupting family roles and The Marine Corps saw much success in the San Diego area and in 2008, routines, and decreasing support within the family. To date, thousands of the FOCUS Project was brought to NSW. military service members, their children and families are at risk and stand to “Communication between a child and a parent is so critical in life – benefit from family-centered resiliency training. especially when you are living and dealing with multiple deployments in a time of war,” said Cmdr. Dave Barnes, the family and community support program manager for NSW. “We are very grateful to have Project FOCUS The growing awareness of the significant impact of deployments on here in the NSW community.” military family life and child and family well-being prompted a new initiative from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery of the Department of the Navy and the Marine Corps. Resiliency is the ability to effectively cope with, adapt to and overcome In 2007, the Defense Health Board Task Force on Mental Health identified adversity, stress and challenging experiences.

FOCUS supports the mission of NSW by providing support to service and family members

inMia Bartoletti the form of resiliency training. Project FOCUS site director, NAB Coronado

20 ETHOS “FOCUS supports the mission of NSW by providing support to service Some of the and family members in the form of resiliency training,” explained Mia ways FOCUS Bartoletti, the NAB Coronado site director for Project FOCUS. “This includes helps families learn working with parents and children to prepare for upcoming missions, trips to communicate are and trainings, as well as to assist families throughout the deployment.” to : Because of the unique nature of NSW missions, FOCUS staff work Help families closely with family members to understand and adjust services in order to to identify and build upon provide a highly customized level of family support. their existing strengths Working with the existing teams of dedicated military family services and positive coping personnel, FOCUS staff assists families in understanding how combat strategies , operational stress affects them and the service family member, how to Increase manage stress, and how to strengthen their family. parents’ and children’s understanding of how different family members might react to FOCUS uses a structured approach to facilitate engagement and wartime stress, skill building across the family. Initial sessions focus on preparing family Help service members and members to identify and share their concerns and understanding of family family members communicate and better members’ deployment reactions. In separate sessions with parents and understand how each were affected by children, family members are taught emotional regulation, problem solving, deployment , goal setting and communication skills. Work with spouses to better Families then meet together to share their experiences using these skills support one another in dealing with the and tools to enhance family communication and support. stressors that can arise from long separations , FOCUS works with families to strengthen their skills in meeting many of Assist couples to work more effectively as a team in parenting the challenges and stressors commonly experienced by military families their children before, during, and after deployment, as well as increase during wartime, including: parents’ skills in dealing more effectively with some of the emotional and Children often become worried, sad or even angry about their behavioral reactions that children can have when experiencing stress. parent leaving for deployment. Children and parents miss sharing special events together (e.g., birthdays, anniversaries, child taking their first steps), as well as the daily Using some of the project’s core components, like parent and child skill routines of their lives. building, dealing with deployment stress, and goal stressing, families can Parents may have a hard time readjusting to their usual roles receive a variety of assistance to meet their specific needs. upon return from deployment (e.g., the non-deployed parent may be used “Family members are provided with an opportunity to get trained and to handling all the household tasks by themselves, the deployed parent may practice on core resiliency skills, including active communication, effective have difficulty adjusting to being in a non-combat environment again). problem solving, setting and maintaining goal achievement strategies and Children may show concerning behaviors, such as acting successful family emotion regulation,” said Bartoletti. “Results of FOCUS argumentative, disruptive, aggressive, withdrawn or tearful. Similarly, program evaluation suggests that military family members benefit from couples may argue more, have a harder time communicating, or may higher levels of overall satisfaction and lower distress and difficulties as a withdraw from each other. result of participation in the program.” “Our goal is to strengthen communication within the families,” “FOCUS is not the answer to all problems,” Barnes explained. “FOCUS is Barnes explained. “We should not leave our families with the ‘bill’ from our a tool to help families overcome issues, and they do a great job.” community being at war for essentially nine years.” Mandy McCammon Source information courtesy of BUMED

FOCUS PROJECT POCs There are resources for Project FOCUS on both coasts, as well as NAB Coronado Island, California Naval CBC Gulfport, Mississippi in Mississippi and Hawaii. For more Phone 619.522.7674 Phone 228.224.3457 information, please contact your Mia Bartoletti, Psy.D. Shelly Gomez, LCSW Site Director local representative. Site Director [email protected] [email protected] JEB Little Creek - Fort Story / NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Virginia Naval Station Pearl Harbor Phone 757.962.4470 Phone 808.257.7774 Kimberly Lahm, M.A., LMFT Devin Price, LMFT Site Director Site Director [email protected] [email protected]

ETHOS 21 Going from the War to theZone

Home front Illustration by MC2 Dominique Lasco

oming home from a deployment can be a Third location decompression (TLD). You might happy occasion, however changing your think it has something to do with a new science to decompress persons after a dive. However, it is state of mind from the battlefield to home actually a program to emotionally “decompress” life isn’t as easy as turning off a switch. special warfare operators and combat support Sometimes, a break from both can make Sailors returning from deployment. TLD was first tested by the Canadian Special for a smoother transition. Forces with a goal of detecting Post Traumatic

22 ETHOS Stress Syndrome (PTSD) early. The program seminars on topics such as dealing with stress, Despite some objections from both family and later proved invaluable in not only detecting family reintegration and anger management. operators, feedback on TLD has overall been PTSD early, but helping members switch from Although not all of the operators who go through positive and most understand why the program is a high-stress mindset before returning home to the program have families, Celani said all necessary. families. After hearing of the success, former personnel go through the same training. “I had a good time,” said Chief Special Warfare Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, “Maybe one particular piece of info doesn’t Operator William Gibbens. “It was managed now Vice Adm. Joseph Kernan, mandated the apply to one Sailor but it may apply to people who extremely well. The support staff there managed program for the NSW squadron post-deployment you are working with or leading. You have to be both the force protection and the moving of schedule and included it as part of the able to be sympathetic to that as a leader.” people so there wasn’t any trouble.” Operational/Combat Stress Control program. They are also given a “checkup from the neck Gibbens, having previously deployed four Before TLD, the cycle for a SEAL team was up” by the Group psychologist. times, said the TLD stop combined with a family to deploy, return and take leave, start training, “They get a brief checkup by the psychologist retreat organized by Group 2 capped off a good begin work ups and deploy again. TLD is now to give them the opportunity to talk about issues deployment. Other SEALs just enjoyed the time mandatory between the team’s deployment and they might have after deployment and to address to relax. leave period. them prior to going home,” said Cmdr. Eric “My favorite part was really just having a beer Each NSW Group has a different TLD location Potterat, Group 1 psychologist. “The discussions with my meal, sitting back and getting a chance to chosen for different reasons. are private and confidential, and it gives the relax and kick back with my friends,” remarked a “They are in a city with military infrastructure operator a chance to talk about issues that they West Coast-based SEAL. “It’s nice to switch over that they can tap into, but they are also may not talk about publicly because they don’t from that combat atmosphere to something more completely out in the local economy, where they want to be perceived as weak or crazy.” normal.”

“The psychological benefits of TLD and the family retreats are going to create a more stable person who can handle multiple deployments. It is also going to create a more stable home life that will allow the operator

to handle the deployments better.” SOC (SEAL) William Gibbens Force Medical Tactical Advisor can begin reintegrating with non-military people,” This check up is one of the vital parts of TLD. It Currently it is each Group’s responsibility said Lt. Cmdr. James Celani, Group 1 TLD officer allows for the early detection of PTSD and gives to monitor, organize and execute the training in charge. the operator the knowledge of how to handle according to instruction. As of the end of March, When returning deployers arrive at their TLD combat stress or PTSD once they get home. It all the SEAL teams will have rotated through location, they are assisted by a support team to also provides information on further treatment if TLD at least once. The Groups closely monitor help keep the desk work, such as checking in necessary. changes and feedback, and certain adjustments gear and travel claims, to a minimum. After completing the mandatory training and have been made to accommodate the ever- “They are afforded the opportunity to take exam, the operator has the next two days free “so changing deployment cycles of NSW squadrons. a break from the work and the stressors that when they come back they have a clear head and As of now, only operators and support personnel accompany that work,” said Celani. “We are they are fresh and are ready to tackle their next that have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq setting up a designated travel claim point where set of requirements,” said Celani. “They are on go through TLD. Individual Augmentees and other they can complete and process their claim within the buddy system, but formal group activities are DoD personnel continue a war fighter transition a day. We have worked on the support team not part of the program. We have found people program elsewhere. manning and are picking up gear that is sensitive want to not be part of the big group, they want The TLD program will continue for the and making sure that it gets back (to San Diego).” a little bit of time to hang out with just a couple foreseeable future, and many operators agree Deployers are given a hotel room rather people.” that continuing it would benefit the future of the than a barracks to start the relaxation and Many spend it by sightseeing, dining or simply NSW community. decompression process. “We are trying to get going for a jog. “The psychological benefits of TLD and the them to relax without the annoyance of someone Some operators and their spouses were family retreats are going to create a more stable asking for their ID card every time they go concerned when they found out the trip home person who can handle multiple deployments,” somewhere,” said Celani. “It allows them time to was delayed. “My wife wondered why I was said Gibbens. “It is also going to create a more take a shower in a room that has constant hot spending three days away to blow off steam, why stable home life that will allow the operator to water or sleep in a bed that is more comfortable couldn’t I just come home three days early,” said handle the deployments better.” than what they had been sleeping on.” one SO1. “Once I explained it to her though, she Once they settle in, each Sailor attends training got onboard with the program.” MC2 Dominique Lasco

ETHOS 23 Illustration by MC2 John Scorza

It is commonly understood athletes, it’s a similar demanding lifestyle, for NSW tactical athletes to optimize injury that over the course of a but probably more rigorous,” said Lt. Kirk recovery, physical training, and overall career, most warfighters Parsely, medical officer for NSW Group 1. continuous performance and longevity,” will experience some type of Lt. Cmdr. Jim Cowan, head of BUD/S summed Jonson. injury. Naval medical experts physical therapy, said his patients today are “Our new program model is more in line often compare warfighters to not regarded as “an injured military guy, but with a division one (collegiate) program or professional athletes and refer to rather as an injured athlete.” professional organization,” said Cowan.”They them as tactical athletes. A career With that in mind, NSW medical (NSW Groups) will have sports medicine tactical athlete will typically professionals are investing in sports rehab personnel, a nutritionist, and really complete 20 years or more of active medicine, human performance practices, move toward preventative and performance military service. In comparison, the average and specialized staffing for treatment and types of programs.” pro baseball player career span is a mere 5.6 prevention of injuries to special operations This year alone, SOCOM has funded seasons and the average professional football personnel. According to Capt. Scott Jonson, WARCOM with $2.2 million to hire 15 civilian player lasts only 3.5 seasons, according to NSW deputy force medical officer, this subject matter experts to aid tactical athletes professional players associations. The tactical fiscal year SOCOM allocated funding to in performance and injury recovery. These athlete may sustain a wide variety of injuries the components to begin Warrior Human specialists include strength and conditioning during 20-plus “seasons” that sports athletes Performance and Sports Medicine programs coaches, nutritionists, rehabilitation experts, would not expect, some similar, such as for operators. This initiative sprouted into and sports psychologists. Additionally, $15 torn knee ligaments and some unusual like NSW’s Tactical Athlete Program (TAP). million is budgeted for the program over the gunshot wounds. “TAP is designed to combine sports next six years. “If you compare SEALs to professional medicine and human performance initiatives “Ultimately, this will help us accomplish our goal which is to expand the functional lifespan of the operators,” said Parsely. “We want to make them able to withstand the “Ultimately, this will help rigors of the job for 20 years and still be able to live a healthy life.” us accomplish our goal In addition to getting more help at the group level, BUD/S Medical is looking to round out its staff. Currently, BUD/S Medical has two which is to expand the physical rehabilitation personnel helping 900 students per month. It will gain two strength and conditioning coaches this year. functional lifespan of The TAP model is broken down into two sections: human performance and sports the operators.” medicine. - Lt. Kirk Parsely, Group 1 medical officer

24 ETHOS “The human performance model was designed to enhance the physical performance capabilities of healthy individuals,” said Jonson. “The sports medicine model was designed to diagnose and treat injuries and rehabilitate athletes.” These two models, said Jonson, are designed to work together to individually tailor a road map for injury prevention and recovery. NSW experts agree that preventive care is an essential part of keeping tactical athletes healthy. “The way you’re going to get 20 years out of SEALs is to prevent them from being injured, not to recuperate their injuries MC2 John Scorza WATERY WEIGHTS SN Shaun Roberts and HM3 Justin Richins, BUD/S candidates, train in the BUD/S state more quickly,” said Parsely. “There is a of the art swimming pool to help them recover from thier injuries. big difference between treating disease and maintaining health.” program for several years. With the increase buying in to the program,” said Wood. “We’ve Data collection is becoming a bigger in funding, NSW now has the opportunity to progressed a lot and things seem to be going element in injury prevention. NSW is blend best practices across the force. pretty well, but we are still learning and still collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh “The last two years we’ve been able to refining new programs and ideas. Things are to gather data to detect trends of what injuries combine team and individual level training only going to keep getting better.” are caused on specific career paths. Currently, programs,” said Dallas Wood, Group 2 human According to NSW Force Medical Officer data is collected by all medical centers performance program manager. “We have Capt. Gary Gluck, “Our vision of the Tactical treating tactical athletes. Teams and centers designed performance enhancing programs Athlete Program is to draw the very best are working together to streamline the type of specific to unit level training.” practices from the Teams, human performance, data to be tracked to help paint a clear picture Wood is proud of the progress NSW has sports medicine and professional athletes of how injuries occur and where they occur. made and is optimistic about the TAP model’s alike to develop a comprehensive physical “Maintaining health is all about prevention future. lifestyle that encompasses the entirety of an and as we get more educated on the mechanism “We’ve received a lot of positive feedback operator’s career and beyond.” and trends of what’s causing the injuries from the operators and they seem to be really within the teams, we’ll be able to predict MC2 John Scorza certain injuries,” said Parsely. “Once we can predict them, then we can prevent them.” “We’re reaching out (to operators) through videos and documents on the Web site (www. sealswcc.com) which are mainly preventive strength programs,” said Cowan. Prior to and during BUD/S, experts reach out to new recruits to stress preventive care. Once a recruit has been selected for the SEAL program, they are provided a mentor to help prepare them for training. The mentors, who receive specialized training themselves, are retired and former SEALs strategically located in in regions around the United States to maximize contact. As a result of the Web site and mentors, Cowan said stress fracture rates at BUD/S have fallen from 16 percent to four percent in the last two years. “Stress fractures are our most common injury at BUD/S,” said Cowan. “For every stress fracture, candidates will lose roughly 110 days of training.” The NSW Groups and Teams have been on the leading edge of this initiative,

experimenting with versions of the TAP MC2 John Scorza

ETHOS 25 NHRC’S WARFIGHTER PERFORMANCE LAB

STUDYING THE MILITARY’S MOST COMPLEX WEAPON

Wouldn’t it be something if the Navy had a virtual reality (VE) system, dual-temperature chambers, Dual-Energy simulator that could test a military member’s performance in battle X-ray Absorptiometers (DXA) and much more. without putting anyone in danger? Or, test how warfighters are able NHRC ‘s $1.1 million VE system is one of only 15 VE systems in to think in extreme hot or cold environments? A place where the latest the world, three of which are located in the United States. equipment is tested to its limits? Wouldn’t it be something if there was The VE is a full biomechanics and exercise physiology lab on a a research facility available where you could walk in, pose virtually motion platform that can pitch, yaw and roll by 25 degrees. On the any question and have scientists find the answer? platform, is an integrated split-belt (side-by-side) treadmill and This place is not a fantasy. Naval Health Research Center’s (NHRC) instrumented force plates to measure the pressures applied during Warfighter Performance Lab, located at Naval Base Point Loma, is walking, running or marching. In front of the motion platform is a that place. nine-foot tall screen that curves 180 degrees around the platform to The lab’s goal is to provide Sailors and Marines with a warfighting view programmed simulations. The environment is also equipped edge through advances in human performance, protection, autonomy with a full-motion capture volume to record the subject’s movements. and power and energy. In the simplest terms, the lab helps to improve These movements are picked up from reflective markers similar to the the warfighter. ones used in making video games. The main research explored by the lab includes applied physiology “By placing little reflective markers all over their body, you can and biomechanics, applied cognitive science, epidemiology, physical record exact movements in real time,” said Senior Chief Damage therapy and psychology. Controlman Eric Duckworth, lab manager. “The markers control the The Warfighter Performance Lab is an 8,100 square-foot facility interaction between the subject and the computer program. The system equipped with state of the art equipment such as a Virtual Environment can also be integrated with other equipment such as reduced-oxygen The VE research will be used to optimize warfighter capabilities as well as advance the rehabilitation of

- Capt. Lanny Boswell, “ wounded warriors. head of Warfighter Performance ” MC2 John Scorza

26 ETHOS (bottom left) Senior Chief Damage Controlman Eric Duckworth test out a program on the VE simulator used to enhance the performance of warfighters and rehabili- tate wounded warriors. (top left) Dr. Jessie Hascall and Lt. Jamie Bartlett perform a load carriage test during a study.(below) Sailors test out the joint-service aircrew mask developed by NHRC. U.S. Navy Photo breathing devices to simulate different altitudes.” “The screen is used so we can create an immersive environment for people to move in,” said Lt. Jamie Bartlett, Warfighter Performance Lab’s operations officer. “Right now we have eight programs including a virtual Afghanistan where we can perform studies as if the warfighter was out in the field. The platform moves in sync with the terrain, so when they see an incline they feel an inclination of the platform while moving on the treadmill belt. It feels realistic.” “We intend to use virtual environments as a research platform to immerse subjects in realistic military environments and see how they perform,” said Bartlett. “For example, load carriage is a big issue now. U.S. Navy Photo We can test a subject in full battle rattle, with a 150-pound pack on his back and walk at patrol pace in Afghanistan terrain. While moving example, if a guy falls out on a 15-mile march from a heat injury, they in this environment, not only can we examine the effects of load and would recover, then come back here and see if they are truly recovered; fatigue on the body, we can also see how they do performing cognitive or, if their core temperature jumps right back up during testing, we tasks such as land navigation, working memory, identifying targets or would know then that they have a physiological problem. We can put using a first-person shooter type of simulation.” people on treadmills, bikes or on whatever we need to in order to Experts agree that although all warfighters will benefit from VE accurately test them in an extreme temperature environment.” research, personnel within the Special Operations Forces may see the BUD/S Medical is now sending patients with heat related injuries to greatest impact from the research. the Warfighter Performance Lab for testing. “The VE will be critical for studying groups that continually operate “Patients who have had a heat stroke are sent over to NHRC after in diverse and highly extreme environments such as SWCC and SEAL six weeks of recovery to find out if they have an inborn problem with units,” said Bartlett. “The changing demands of their duties make cooling off their bodies,” said Cmdr. James Doran, BUD/S senior them one of the military’s most complex weapon systems and now we medical officer. “Based on if they can show normal physiology in a have the ability to keep up.” heat environment, we will put them back into the program (BUD/S).” “This lab is very unique,” said Capt. Lanny Boswell, head of “Creating a cold environment within the chamber is used for Warfighter Performance. “With it, we can immerse a warfighter in a studying performance with hypothermia,” said Bartlett. “One of our virtual reality and measure his physical and cognitive performance scientists is working on a wet clothing study. You have these SWCC simultaneously. Once this is fully developed we can study guys out there getting soaked, moving really fast. Well, what happens operationally-relevant issues in a controlled environment. The VE is you get cold. So, we are studying the clothing they wear as well as research will be used to optimize warfighter capabilities as well as the adverse effects of how these guys perform mentally while being advance the rehabilitation of wounded warriors.” under adverse temperatures and conditions.” Although the VE is a huge acquisition for the lab, it’s not the only For more than three decades, the Warfighter Performance Department tool used for testing and research. The lab’s temperature chambers are has been a leader in applied physiology and cognitive science research beginning to play a bigger role. and will continue to provide Sailors and Marines with a war fighting “These are used a lot for heat tolerance testing,” said Bartlett. “For edge through their research efforts. MC2 John Scorza

Never-ending room City walk Simulation Virtual Afghanistan Boat driving simulation

ETHOS 27 chance, and have trusted us to keep striving and to get better. They teach us to trust ourselves. The LPO, the chief, the platoon commander, the CO develop their subordinates, by trusting them to do things they may have never done before. The coach as leader takes risk by giving Trust. In my own leadership, Trust is something I give to subordinates initially and readily, and it is then theirs to lose. I have rarely been disappointed, but I have been disappointed. That’s part of the deal. Machiavelli: Machiavelli warns us against trusting unwisely and counsels us to exercise prudent caution in whom we trust. We must protect ourselves from predators who would manipulate or exploit us, who seek their own ends at our expense. Yes, these people also exist in the Navy and even in the Teams, though in the crucible of life in the Teams, they are usually found out. Machiavelli saw the world as Mother Theresa, an unforgiving place, in which self-serving people compete, sometimes viciously, in the game of life, the Coach, eagerly preying upon those who are less clever and Machiavelli or less wary than themselves. Without being deceitful, one must be wary of those for whom being trustworthy is not as important as their TRUST IS an essential element in any high functioning organization, but especially in a small, personal ambition. This practical aspect of Trust very inter-dependent special operations unit. I’ve always thought that an important part of pre- was reflected in Benjamin Franklin’s axiom, “Love deployment training is sorting out Trust issues within a platoon, a Team, a task unit, a boat det. No thy neighbor; yet don’t pull down your hedge.” one wants to deploy with someone they don’t trust; members of a Team must trust each other not But then, Will Rogers once said, “I would rather only to do their job to the best of their ability, but also to put the Team’s success ahead of their own be the person who bought the Brooklyn Bridge personal comfort and advantage. When we deploy overseas, for training or combat, we insist on than the one who sold it.” deploying with others who will ‘have our back,’ no matter what the circumstances. This short essay Trust is a complicated subject; books have is a simple look at three aspects of Trust I think are important. been written about it, to include “The Speed of Mother Theresa: The Mother Theresa side of Trust speaks to that part of us which seeks to Trust: the One Thing that Changes Everything,” be good. An essential part of being good is being trustworthy, in almost any context. Trust is recently published by Stephen M. R. Covey. something we seek for ourselves, and when we’ve earned it, we’ll do almost anything to preserve Here I’ve distilled the complexity of Trust it. That part of us which is ‘good’ is not deceitful, in word, deed or demeanor. If what we say is down into three simple dimensions: First, be false or we fail to keep a commitment, it is either unintentional, or due to circumstances beyond our trustworthy; second, don’t be afraid to give Trust; control, or because our initial commitment may be over-ridden by the dictates of honor, common third, don’t foolishly expose yourself by trusting sense or a good greater than our own. In striving to be ‘good,’ we consider it a matter of honor to unwisely. Like so much in leadership and ethics, be trustworthy – to never do anything that would cause anyone to question our integrity. good judgment and experience are necessary The Coach: Being a good coach is a key function of effective leaders at all levels. All good to effectively balance these three imperatives. leaders are coaches – we have all been developed by our mentors, and good leaders, in turn, Trust is (ideally) a two-way street; for the truly develop others. The coach, the boss, the person in charge, develops subordinates by trusting trustworthy, the two-way street becomes a them. Sometimes our coaches have pushed us and trusted us when we weren’t sure we were network of roads and highways which allow the ready. Even when we have failed, good coaches have continued to trust us, have given us another rich flow of positive energy and collaboration between and among trustworthy people. This is what we strive for in the teams, in our Navy, and, Trust is (ideally) a two-way street; for in fact, in our society. the truly trustworthy, the Bob Schoultz retired after two-way street becomes a network spending 30 years as a of roads and highways which allow NSW officer. He is currently the Director of the Master the rich flow of positive energy and of Science in Global collaboration between and among Leadership School of Business trustworthy people. Administration at the University of San Diego.

28 ETHOS Koran, Kalashnikov from differing regions, provinces and tribes. His superb assessment not only provides insight into and Laptop: the key factors of the insurgency, but also the failures of the counterinsurgency to orchestrate a The Neo-Taliban consistent strategy. In the last chapter, Giustozzi smartly Insurgency in acknowledges that the Neo-Taliban influence is Afghanistan not independent of the counter-insurgency efforts By Antonio Giustozzi waged by the state of Afghanistan and its allies. Since the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2001, After studying Afghanistan and its counter-insurgency policies since Giustozzi aptly brings to light the high turnover the pro-Soviet regime in the early 1980’s, Dr. Antonio Giustozzi, a of senior military officers and the consequent research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, variation of coalition strategies. These coalition strategies fluctuated between targeting insurgents offers a striking portrait of the resurgent Taliban and why it is making a through conventional “clear and sweep” comeback. His extremely well researched monograph plainly identifies operations versus the irregular warfare approach significant events that sparked the birth of a Neo-Taliban insurgency, that seeks to separate the population from the marked its growth, and displayed glaring incongruities of allied insurgents. This inability of the coalition to remain counter-insurgency strategy. As the national debate over Afghanistan consistent gave the Neo-Taliban insurgency persists, this book provides an authoritative social context that must be enough political and physical space to develop their strongholds. understood by all Special Operations Forces personnel currently serving, Now, two years after this book was published, or soon to be, downrange in Afghanistan. Gen. Stanley McChrystal is faced with the In his book, Giustozzi argues that the Neo-Taliban insurgency would have been nothing more than same Neo-Taliban insurgency that has grown in a “mere annoyance” if it had not been able to exploit weaknesses within the state of Afghanistan and strength. Coalition hopes have been pinned on counter-insurgency efforts had been quicker to identify the sources of the insurgency and appropriately the U.S. military commander, but the key factor to mitigate them. He effectively supported his argument through a litany of relevant sources and a success is the special operators remotely located systematic chapter structure. and on the ground. Any special operator with a Giustozzi divides his book into six chapters, five of which concern the Neo-Taliban insurgency future deployment to Afghanistan would do well to sources, recruitment, organization, strategy and tactics. Appropriately, the sources of the insurgency read this book. It is not enough that the general are identified first and help characterize the Neo-Taliban movement as one that maintains fundamental in charge understand the inherent complexities Taliban beliefs coupled with an aspect of selectivity. This selectivity becomes a reoccurring theme as of the insurgency in Afghanistan; the counter- the Neo-Taliban seeks to utilize new technology, strategies and tactics that the old Taliban regime did insurgency practitioners must be the ones to not practice. successfully engage the populace to achieve a Perhaps the most significant component to the Neo-Taliban insurgency was the shift in policy real victory. concerning the various tribes within Afghanistan. Instead of maintaining a rigid standard concerning Lt. W. Jake Roberts which tribes or individuals should be included within the Taliban organization, the Neo-Taliban Roberts is a Navy SEAL and has made movement took a more open stance willing to accept any ethnicity or tribal affiliation. Giustozzi goes deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and the to great length to highlight the effect of this strategy in garnering popular support amongst Afghans Philippines.

Any special operator with a future deployment to Afghanistan would do well to read this book. It is not enough that the general in charge understand the inherent complexities of the insurgency in Afghanistan, the counter-insurgency practitioners must be the ones to successfully engage the populace to achieve a real victory. SEAL Lt. W. Jake Roberts

ETHOS 29 PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULT IS EVERYONE’S DUTY.

GULFPORT: NORFOLK: 228-596-0697 757-438-3504 HAWAII: SAN DIEGO: 808-722-6192 619-692-5909